


Yearning Heart and Upset Stomach

by MsChievous



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Food Poisoning, M/M, Sickfic, good friend Ignis, mama bird cares for his chocobab, protective Ignis maybe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-30 01:21:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15085898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsChievous/pseuds/MsChievous
Summary: Written forbagpipes5k, who won first place in my follower giveaway! They requested: "I'd love a Promnis fic/drawing :D Possibly one where Prom is ill and Iggy takes care of him? :)"Drawing here!





	Yearning Heart and Upset Stomach

**Author's Note:**

> This took a bit to get to, but I really like how it turned out (a little longer as an apology for how long it's been~). I've noticed that for my giveaways, people tend to ask for sickfics... hmmmm....

Ignis sighed as he stared at his charge’s completely full plate. “Honestly, Noctis, you can be quite aggravating at times. It’s just vegetables, they can hardly kill you.”

Noctis rolled his eyes. “It’s the  _ taste _ , Iggy. I get it, they’re healthy for you. But there are other healthy things that don’t taste like chocobo feed!”

Prompto snatched a stray carrot from Noctis’ stew, “Hey, dude, if you don’t want it, I’ll totally eat it.”

“Please, let his Highness finish his own meal,” the advisor sighed at the same time the prince pushed his bowl towards his friend.

The blond looked from Noctis to Ignis, then back again. “I… I’m just gonna stay out of this one, you two can decide for yourselves.”

“There’s no need,” Ignis said wryly, “If His Highness doesn’t wish to eat something, I have learned from experience he’ll just go hungry. But if you enjoyed it, Prompto, I could give you what remains, so it won’t go to waste.”

Thin blond eyebrows flew upwards. “Dude! Are you serious? Definitely! This sh- stuff was  _ awesome _ . I’d eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if I could!”

Noctis looked almost betrayed. “Vegetables for  _ breakfast _ ? Prom, I thought you were my friend!”

“Sorry dude,” Prompto laughed, swiping fake tears from underneath his eyes. “You get to eat this everyday, but for me, it’s practically dessert. Like, it’s so  _ good _ I might actually cry. Oh, wait, I am crying. These are tears of joy for how delicious Ignis’ food is.” Almost to emphasize his point, he made a show of blowing his nose into the napkin.

Ignis made an odd choking noise in the back of his throat and… and was that a  _ blush _ ? Noctis narrowed his eyes. “Buttering him up isn’t gonna make him  _ your _ advisor, Prom.”

“But it  _ does _ make me more likely to cook for him,” the advisor said with a grin. 

“Oh, wow, you both are traitors. I guess it’s my fate to be betrayed by those closest to me. Alas, it was a good life while I lived it.” The prince slid to the ground and flopped on his side. “Tell Gladio that he could have stopped all this, if only he was here.”

There was a beat of silence, then Prompto got to his knees next to his friend and poked his cheek. “Well, damn. I guess since my best friend is dead, that means I need a new one. Hey, Iggy, I like you, wanna be my best friend?”

Before Ignis could respond, Noctis sat up with an indignant “Hey!” He pushed Prompto back lightly. “You can’t even wait for my body to go cold before finding a new friend?”

Prompto grinned, “Sorry dude, I’m hot stuff, I gotta find someone cool to be with before some rando starts hanging on me.”

Noctis snorted. “‘Hot stuff?’” He asked. 

“As a matter of fact, yes. Have you seen me? People fight over me  _ all _ the time.”

“Dude, whatever. I can still kick your ass in King’s Knight.”

“Oh yes,” the blond said sagely, “And that is  _ incredibly _ important to someone’s attractiveness: how good they are at King’s Knight.”

From the kitchen, Ignis tried to cover up his surprised laugh, but only succeeded in snorting into his hand. “You must admit Highness, he does have you there.”

“Y’know, I don’t have to deal with this,” Noctis said, “I could order you both to get out of my room.”

Prompto slung an arm around the prince’s shoulders, “Aww, you  _ could _ , buddy, but would you really want to get rid of this beautiful face?”

Noctis laughed and shoved Prompto away. “Six, you’re a jerk!”

“But he’s not wrong,” Ignis noted.

“Not wrong about what?”

The advisor seemed to realize what he had just said and immediately busied himself with wiping the remains of Noctis’ stew into the garbage, “That you could order us out,” he said, turning to hide the blush creeping across his cheeks.

“Uh-huh, that’s  _ totally _ what you meant,” Noctis said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Yes. It is.”

Prompto furrowed his eyebrows. “What are you talking about, Noct?”

The prince stared at him intently, as if trying to piece together whether or not he was serious. “You know what? This’ll be interesting to watch. Just forget I said anything.”

He walked away, leaving Prompto to stare at the back of his head in confusion.  _ What was he talking about? _

 

* * *

 

Ignis raised his eyebrows when he saw Noctis walking towards the car alone. He quickly glanced at his watch to confirm, yes, today was definitely Thursday, and that meant Prompto was coming over to Noctis’ apartment. He looked over the crowd, trying to pick out that familiar head of blond hair out of the crowd, but he saw nothing.

As Noctis drew closer, Ignis tilted his head to the side. “Is Prompto not joining us today? I was under the impression he would be.”

“He’s sick today. Why? You disappointed?”

There was something almost accusatory in Noctis’ tone. “A bit, yes. I made a chickatrice marsala with vegetable chutney I thought he’d enjoy. It’s a shame it’ll go to waste.”

“So you’re making food for him now? Damn, you must be head over heels for him, then.”

Ignis stopped short. “I beg your pardon?”

The prince shrugged. “You base your meal plans around when he’ll be there. It sounds like you’re cooking for him.”

“I am cooking different foods, depending on whether or not there will be company, yes, but I fail to see what that has to do with me being ‘head over heels’, Your Highness.”

“Ugh, really? You’re gonna go that ‘I’m not in love, we’re just  _ really really _ good friends that kinda wanna kiss and maybe fuck too’ thing, are you?”

“Noctis!” Ignis hissed, whirling around with a look of disgust etched across his face, “You don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Don’t I?” The prince asked, “‘Cause I hang around the two of you a lot, and it seems like I’m the only one not dense enough to realize you two like each other.”

The advisor huffed out a breath. “Highness, please. If Prompto wishes to be more than what we currently are, he would come forward and ask. He’s hardly a shy person, and he acts similarly around you as well. I believe you have just misinterp-”

“Prompto? Not shy?” Noctis asked incredulously. “Dude, he’s like, really timid. He just pretends not to be.”

“Nevertheless,” Ignis said carefully, “I would prefer if you let me handle my own personal affairs.”

Noctis groaned. “Just ask him out already. I’m positive he’ll say yes. Please, I’m begging you, I’m sick and tired of him asking me about you when we’re hanging out, and of being forced to look at vegetables when he comes over. Please.”

Ignis peered at Noctis, then opened the car door for him. “I’ll take your observations and opinions under advisement, Your Highness. Thank you for your tolerance.”

He closed the door before Noctis had the opportunity to reply.

 

* * *

 

Prompto groaned and rolled over to his side, praying that this time, something would finally come out. 

He was rewarded with a faint trickle of sick dribbling out the corner of his mouth, but little else to ease the ache in his stomach. Damn, this really sucked. A glance at the clock alerted him to the fact that school started in forty five minutes. He probably should stay home, but today was Thursday, and Thursday meant that he was going home with Noctis, and going home with Noctis meant that he could see Ignis.

But when he swung his legs over the edge of his bed, he was forced back onto the bed by a wave of dizziness that shifted into a stomach-cramping nausea and ended with a few pitiful drops of vomit falling into his bucket. 

_ Shit _ .

He couldn’t even get up to get some water, how could he get to school? How could he get to Noctis’ house?

The obvious answer was that he couldn’t. He just had to sit here and get over it, alone. Like he had always done.

 

* * *

 

There was an annoying ringing noise coming from downstairs. It roused him from his restless sleep and sent a wave of irrational panic through his chest. Who was it? What did they want? Was it his parents, saying they were coming home soon? No, that didn’t make sense. 

He wobbled his weight around until he had shifted into a sitting position and listened to the voicemail.

“Hello Argentum family, this is Lucretia, from Crown Central. I’m calling because our attendance records shows that Prompto hasn’t shown up for class. If he’s sick, we need a guardian to call and confirm, otherwise he will be marked as truant.”

Oh, shit, he had forgotten to call his school. But double shit, he didn’t have anyone to call in for him. Well, time to pull on his big-boy pants.

He scrambled for his phone on his nightstand and opened the phone app, flicking past messages from Noctis. 

After two rings, a neutral female voice picked up. “Thank you for calling Crown Central, this is Lucretia speaking, how may I help you?”

“Um, hello, this is Prompto. Uh… Argentum.” He paused, trying to figure out what he was going to say next.

“Hello Prompto, how can I help you?”

“Um, you called because I wasn’t in. It’s because I’m sick. I can’t get out of bed.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Will a guardian be home soon? It’s school policy that we need guardian confirmation of all illnesses, but it can wait until you come back to school.”

“Yes,” Prompto said, before his mind could tell him how stupid it was to lie.

“Great, well, I’ll mark you down as absent, and then we can change that once we get guardian confirmation. I hope you feel better soon!”

“Thanks,” Prompto said, ending the call just in time to attempt to heave his stomach’s contents into the bucket at his side. 

It looked like he’d just have to be sick another six months until his parents came back.

 

* * *

 

Ignis glanced at his charge, again, without his blond accompaniment.

“Before you ask,” Noctis said, “He was sick again today. He says it’s just a stomach bug and that he should be fine soon. But I don’t know when ‘soon’ is going to be.”

The advisor nodded. “Well, you’ll be pleased that I decided to make Garula steaks tonight instead of the green curry I had planned.”

The prince gave him a quizzical look. “What made you change your mind?” 

“You… you helped me understand that my priorities were shifting away from you and towards someone else. I am taking the necessary steps to keep from making this an issue.”

“Ig, you really don’t have to do that. You’re allowed to have a life. Just don’t make that life one that forces me to eat vegetables all the time.” Noctis replied.

Ignis shook his head. “Highness, you don’t understand. My duty is to you. I cannot be beholden to someone else while-”

“Gods, Iggy, stop being so fucking self-sacrificing! Yeah, you’re my advisor, but  _ shit _ , that’s not your entire life. Just fucking go to his house, I’ll be fine walking home.”

“ _ Highness _ ,” Ignis hissed in that voice that usually had Noctis sullenly obeying him.

“Do I have to make that a royal decree?” He asked with a raised eyebrow.

After a long pause Ignis shook his head. “No,” he replied. Then he nodded. “Thank you, Noct.”

“Anytime,” the prince replied with a small grin.

 

* * *

 

Ignis pulled to a stop in front of a neat-looking townhouse. Yes, this was the address. He stopped short of getting out of the car, wondering if what he was doing was actually the right thing. It would be terribly inconsiderate of him to just drop in unannounced, but he didn’t have Prompto’s phone number to make sure it was okay, and he doubted Noctis was in the mood to entertain his prattling. 

So there was nothing to be done except stride to the front door and knock. He paused, waiting for an answer, but heard none. He checked the address again.

Yes, he was sure this was correct. There was that chocobo decal to the left of the door, and the potted plant hanging over the entryway. He knocked again, louder this time. Perhaps Prompto merely hadn’t heard him.

Another minute passed, and something stirred in his gut. If he didn’t know better, he’d assume that the blond was playing hooky somewhere. But he  _ did _ know better. Prompto wasn’t that kind of person.

Experimentally, he twisted the knob and let out a hiss of surprise when it gave way.

“Hello? Prompto? It’s Ignis, Noctis’ advisor. I’ve come to check in on you,” he called. 

No response.

“Prompto? Are you alright?”

Still no response. 

A muted panic hammered in his chest. This didn’t seem right. He ducked his head into a few rooms, but couldn’t find the blond on the first floor. So he carefully climbed the stairs, all his senses on high alert.

“I’m coming upstairs, Prompto. Can you hear me?”

It was only because he had stopped walking to listen that he heard it: a faint rasping noise from a room at the end of the hall. He strode over and yanked the door open.

Immediately, he was hit by the stench of sick. He couldn’t resist clapping his hand over his nose and waving the air in front of him in an attempt to be rid of the odor. 

“Ig...gy…” 

The advisor turned to the source of the sound and his heart dropped to his feet. Prompto was laying limply in bed, limbs entangled in soiled bedsheets, and skin flush with fever.

“Prompto! What in the Six happened to you?”

“I don’... I don’ feel good.”

Ignis smoothed a hand over Prompto’s forehead. “You’re burning up.  When was the last time you had water?”

The blond blinked up at him uncomprehendingly for a few moments. “...I dun… I dunno… Long… Can’t… can’t get up.”

“Stay here, I’m going to get some water, okay?”

Ignis waited until Prompto had nodded before getting to his feet and hurrying down to the kitchen. As he filled a water bottle, he started going over a mental checklist: change the linens, empty the bucket, check the fever, diagnose and treat, perhaps find a way to clean him up a bit before putting on some new linens. 

Yes, he could do this.

Back up in Prompto’s room, Ignis helped him sit up to sip at the water, then started detangling him from the stained bedsheets. By the time he had thrown them in the laundry machine’s hottest cycle and scrubbed his own hands clean until they were practically raw, Prompto was only halfway through the water, but he seemed to be becoming more lucid.

“How long has this been going on?” Ignis asked, settling a lightweight sheet over the blond’s bare legs.

After a few moments, Prompto breathed out, “Since Monday.”

Dread blossomed in Ignis’ chest. “Five days? Prompto, have you gone to the hospital? Or the doctor at the  _ very _ least?” 

“Uh-uh.”

“We must take you there immediately. I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to pick you up. Can you keep hold of the bucket?”

“‘s no big,” Prompto said with a faint smile, “I jus’ need t’ ride it out.”

“You’ve had a fever and been vomiting for five days with no fluid or caloric intake. Frankly, I’m a little surprised you’re still alive. So pardon me, but I’m taking you to the hospital, for your own safety.”

It might have been Ignis’ imagination, but he thought he saw the flush across freckled cheeks grow more intense as the blond nodded.

Ignis maneuvered carefully, picking Prompto up bridal style so as to allow him to curl around his bucket to use it if necessary.

The advisor’s heart clenched as Prompto retched and something thunked wetly into the bucket. 

“Sorry,” the blond breathed, resting his head against Ignis’ chest.

“You hardly need to apologize,” Ignis barely refrained from snapping. “It’s your body’s way of taking care of itself, not something shameful.”

“Sor- Never mind.”

Ignis smiled faintly, then managed to shift his way around Prompto’s limp form and open the passenger side door to get him situated.

 

* * *

 

Ignis drummed his fingers on his thigh, barely refraining from tapping his foot against the tile to express his impatience. Perhaps they  _ should _ have gone to the Citadel doctors. Sure, this hospital was much closer and very highly rated, but Citadel doctors were on call at a moment’s notice, none of this insufferable  _ waiting _ .

Finally, the door to the waiting room opened. “Argentum?” A middle-aged woman called out. Immediately, Ignis snapped to his feet and turned to help Prompto up and after the nurse.

“We’re just gonna be down at the end of the hall, take a right, and we’ll be in room 7B, okay?”

With a nod, the brunette drew the blond down the hall, careful not to rush him or do anything that could potentially upset his stomach. The nurse followed a respectful distance behind them, then carefully shut the door to the room behind her once they had both gotten settled.

“So, Prompto, you’re here for extended fever and nausea?” She asked, giving the blond and encouraging smile.

He looked to Ignis, who nodded. “Yes. For about five days. He hasn’t had much water or food since Monday from the looks of it.”

The nurse made a few notes. “I see. Did you do anything out of the ordinary on Monday? Take a new route home? Participate in a new hobby? Try a new food?”

Prompto shook his head, then paused. “Well, I don’t think I’ve ever had those Garula steaks before.”

“Garula steaks? Were they from a restaurant? Did anyone else eat the same thing?”

“No,” Ignis piped in, “I made a stew with Garula steaks, but he was the only one that ate them.”

The nurse nodded, then glanced at her clipboard. “We’ve gotten a few reports of food poisoning from Garula steaks over the past couple weeks. A formal report is set to be released any day now warning customers to stay away. My best guess is that it’s simply a case of food poisoning, made worse by inadequate care. Drink plenty of water, stay hygienic, and it should clear up in a few days.

“We can help a bit with this process if you’d like, get some fluids in you, monitor vitals, and the like for a couple hours.”

Before Prompto could refuse, Ignis said, “Yes, that sounds delightful.”

“Very well, the doctor will be with you shortly. You can lie down on the bed if that will make you more comfortable.” With that, she slid out of the room and clicked the door shut behind her.

“Would you like help to get onto the bed?”

“Nah, it’s okay,” Prompto said, pushing himself to his feet and shuffling over to the bed. He sat down with a groan, then somehow managed to lower himself down without losing what little water he had taken in already.

Ignis furrowed his brow, but nodded. “Well, would you like more water? Or perhaps some crackers? Maybe some apple juice?”

“Seriously, Iggy, thanks, but i’s fine. You’ve done enough, you don’ need t’ stay. I’ll be fine.”

“You think I don’t want to be here?”

“Well, duh, you have better things to do.”

Ignis crossed his arms over his chest. “Like what?”

“Like… your job? Don’t you need t’ make dinner for Noct?”

“I’m sure His Highness can deal with having Cup Noodles for one meal. Right now,  _ you _ are sick, so you take priority.”

Prompto tilted his head to the side, “But… but I’m not your job. Why- oh…” the blond’s face fell. “I get it, Noct told you to be here. But really, I’ll be fine. Just tell him-“

“I am here of my own free will,” Ignis snapped, harsher than he meant to. “I am here because I was worried about your absence, and I was worried about  _ you _ .”

The blond blinked. Once. Twice. “Why?”

“‘Why’? What kind of question is that? Because I care about you! You see, this is why I was so reluctant to say anything, because I  _ knew _ you might not feel the same way, and I was  _ right _ .” Ignis took measured breaths, careful to keep his volume down.

“…the… the same way?”

The advisor looked Prompto over. “I told Noctis that my feelings for you were likely not requited, and it appears I’m right. I apologize for any-

“Whoa whoa whoa, back up, who said it was  _ unrequited _ ?”

The force of the words and their meaning were practically a punch in the gut that left him winded. “You were trying to get rid of me.”

“Yeah,” Prompto scoffed, “‘cause I didn’t want you t’ think I was lame or somethin’.”

“Oh, it’s a little late for that,” Ignis smirked.

Before Prompto could respond, a momentary look of panic flew across his face, and he scrambled for the bucket, holding it up just in time to keep from vomiting over the hospital blankets.

“Ugh, can you save the mean comments until after I’m better?”

“Of course I can,” Ignis said softly, “and I can save a few more things besides.”

“Like what?”

“Well, here’s a preview,” the advisor grinned, then gave Prompto a kiss on the forehead. “You better get well soon to see where else I can put this.”

**Author's Note:**

> Also, as a sidenote, I'm totally calling out my beta, ellay. 
> 
> She suggested a way to convey confusion without 'furrowing the eyebrows', "cocking his head to the side" and make the note, "this fic needs more cocking".
> 
> THEN, at the end, she wrote (and I quote), "OOH COCKING GOES HERE^^^ EHEHEHEHEH"
> 
> that is all


End file.
